The Pittsburgh Steelers have a number of avenues they can go in the first round of the NFL draft, but one of the prospects they’ve been linked to the most is Georgia OT Amarius Mims. Mims had a pre-draft visit with the Steelers and the athletic freak has been someone who’s been frequently mocked to the team. In the final mock draft by NFL Media’s Bucky Brooks, he has the Steelers taking Mims at No. 20 overall to help improve the offensive line.
“The extra-EXTRA large edge blocker (6-foot-7 3/4 and 340 pounds with 36 1/8-inch arms and 11 1/4-inch hands) would help the Steelers control the trenches as they transition to a ground-and-pound squad under new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith,” Brooks wrote.
If Mims is the pick, the Steelers could eventually move Broderick Jones back to his natural left tackle position, although Mims likely isn’t a Day 1 starter. The knock on him is that he’s had some injury issues throughout his college career and only had eight career starts at Georgia, although he thinks his tape speaks for itself. But his potential is off the charts, and Mims could become a really talented offensive tackle if he develops. The lack of snaps and the injury history make him a little bit of a risk in the first round, but his potential could make him worth the selection.
It would be the second year in a row the Steelers take a Georgia offensive tackle in the first round, as the team traded up to select Jones last year. Despite having more experience than Mims in college, Jones didn’t crack Pittsburgh’s starting lineup until Week 9 but when he did, the team’s run game took a noticeable leap. By taking his former college teammate who credited Jones with preparing him to be an NFL prospect, the Steelers are taking another potential mauler who could be an anchor in the passing game while also bolstering Pittsburgh’s rushing attack.
The Steelers have put an emphasis on building up their offensive line in recent years, signing James Daniels and Isaac Seumalo in consecutive offseasons and drafting Jones last year. It’s going to be a focal point again in this draft, as the Steelers have a need at center and could also opt to improve offensive tackle after Dan Moore Jr.’s struggled a bit over the last few seasons. Both positions are options for the Steelers in the first round, but by taking Mims here, the Steelers commit to having two potential bookend tackles long-term.
It’ll be interesting to see how the Steelers approach the draft, but in a class that’s heavy on talented tackles, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Mims or another offensive tackle is the selection on Thursday night.
